Massage device.



H. HIROTA.

MASSAGE DEVICEy APPLICATION FILED APR. Ie, 1911.

41268953, Patented June 4, 1918.

TTEVZ- H YAKUTARO HIROTA, v01? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

` MASSAGE DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1918.

Application led April 16, 1917. Serial No. 162,505.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HYAKUTARO HIRoTA, a subject of the Emperor of Japan,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented eertain new and useful Improvements in MassageDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to new and useful improvements in massagedevices, and

' has for its principal objects the substitution,

in apparatus of this character, of lthermoelectric means for vibratorvmeans to produce the desired therapeutic efects, and to provide curativeand healing means for all ailments which are alleviated by the processof kneading, rubbing, or slapping the afflicted parts, or which may berelieved,

cured, or healed by application of a counter.- irritant or cautery.

This'invention is further designed to provide a construction by whichthe device may be placed in any ordinary electric circuit, and toprovide a Construction by which the temperature of the device may bechanged or adjusted to varying degrees from the normal.

The invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features ofconstruction and organization as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical mid-section of a massage deviceembodying my invention, showing a friction bulb, and thermo-electricelements therein; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is avertical-mid-section of a modified form; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view ofthe form shown in Fig. 3, having the cap and outer casing removed; Fig,5 1s a section taken on line )x5-X5, of Fig. 1, looking in the directionindicated by the arrow; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line X-Xe,of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow, and Fig. 7is a diagram of the electrie circuit and elements shown in Fig. 1.

Referring t0 the drawings: The porcelain casing 7, has at one end amassage bulb 8, rotatably mounted thereon, and retained by flange 9. Onthe opposite end is a rotatable collar 10, threaded for connection withan electric socket, and having fixed thereto an insulating sleeve 11,for manual operation.

Collar 10 is in constant contact with conductor 12, which in turn isconnected with a Contact block 13. In radial and longitudinal grooves14, are mounted a series of rheostat coils 15, each having a contactblock 16. A rheostat adjusting sleeve 17 is rotatably mounted on casing7, and has an inner contact member 18,Y provided with a projecting lug19, adapted to engage consecutively the contact blocks and coils as thesleeve is rotated. Thus any number of the resistance coils may be placedin circuit by rotating the sleeve, the various points of resistancebeing indicated by the marks 20, embossed on member 7, and the pointer21 on the sleeve. Two sliding spring jacks 22, 23, are fixed to member7, and one spring ack 22 is in constant contact with the inner contactmember 18, the spring jack 23,-extending through member 7, and forming acontact-,24, to engage with an electric socket. Heating coils 25 aremounted on a sliding 'frame 26 in the bottom end of receptacle 7,

said frame having Contact members 27, 28, sliding respectively, inmembers 22, 23. The frame 26 has threaded racks 29, extending in slots30 in member 7, and engaging with the correspondingly 'threaded sleeveor bulb 8, the rotation of which will cause a longitudinal movement ofthe frame, carrying the coils 25 toward and from the friction bottom 31,of the bulb.

In use, this device is to be screwed into an electric socket, which maybe done by rotating the independently revoluble sleeve 11, and thetemperature of the friction bulb 8 may be varied either by manipulation-of the rheostat sleeve 17, whereby the degree of energization of theheat coils is varied, or by manipulation of the sleeve or bulb 8,whereby the proximity of the coils to the friction bottom 31, is varied.The casing 7 is provided with a knurled flange 32, to facilitate themanipulation of the adjusting sleefe and bulb.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 3, 4, which is adapted for screwconnection with an electric socket, the contact members 33, 34, aredirectly connected t0 a series of heatin coils 35, which are interposedbetween Imca plates 36. The friction cap 37 is detachable, and all partsare removable.

From the foregoing it may be seen that I have provided a massage devicehaving means for creating a friction of the skin.

lfrictional means,

together With electric heating means, and a means for shifting theheating means to and from the friction means, and means for varyingthetemperature of the heating means.

What is claimed is: .fi 1. A massage device, comprising manualthermo-electric means Within the limits of the friction means, means toshift the heatin means relatively to the friction means, an means forregulating the heating means.

2. A massage' device, comprising a casing, a friction bulb thereon, andthermo-electric heating means Within the casing, and means to vary thetemperature and relative position of the heating means.

3. A massage device, comprising a casing,

a massage bulb thereon, a heating coil Within the casing, means foradjusting the heating coil relative to the bulb, and means forenergizing the coil.

4. The combination with a casing having two oppositely disposed slots,of a massage bulb rotatably mounted on the casin and extending over theslots, a frame slidlng in said casing, racks on said frame extendingthrough said slots and having screwthreaded engagement With the bulb,and

thermo-electric elements carried by said' frame.

5. A massage device, comprising a casing having the bottom end adaptedfor producing a friction of the skin, thermo-electric elements Withinthe casing and adjacent to the bottom, a sliding frame Withinthe casingcarrying the thermo-electric elements, spring jacks iXe/d Within thecasing and in constant contact with the thermo-electric elements, aseries of resistance coils Within the casing, a rotatable sleeve mountedon the casing, a contact member carried by the rotatable sleeve, saidcontact member being in constant contact with one of said spring jacks,and being adapted to make consecutive contact with the resistance coils,and electric socket terminals on the outer end of the casing, one ofwhich extends to the resistance coils and the other of Which eX- tendsto a spring jack.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aliix mysignature, this 11th day 7 ofApril, in the year 191 HYAKUTARO HIROTA.

